Daylight universal developing apparatus



Dec. 26, 1967 H. HUSS 3,359,880

DAYLIGHT UNIVERSAL DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28; 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1 A Fig. 2

Dec. 26, 1967 H. HUSS 3,359,880

DAYLIGHT JNIVERSAL DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Wu cwio'o A e/WM Hum m WQ-PW United States Patent Office 53359380 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 3,359,880 DAYLIGHT UNIVERSAL DEVELOPING APPARATUS Heinrich Huss, Obertshauserstrasse, Lammerspiel, near Offenbach, Germany Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,931 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 30, 1963,

9 Claims. (Cl. 95-93) The present invention relates to a developing apparatus.

According to the present invention there is provided a developing apparatus comprising a light-proof chamber, a bowl within the chamber and tilt'ably mounted about its longitudinal axis, a rotatable member within the chamber and mounted co-axially with the axis about which the bowl is tiltable, and a plurality of curved support members for supporting emulsion carriers like films or papers, which support members are carried by the rotatable member, whereby when the rotatable member is rotated the support members pass around the bowl and liquid contained in the bowl flows across the support members.

Constructional embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in section of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view in section of the apparatus according to FIGURE 1; 7

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along line AA according to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is in cross section a drum with support members mounted thereon according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is in cross section two rotary discs with support members fixed thereto according to the invention;

FIGURE 6 is in an elevational View of the inside of a rotary disc according to FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is in section the front view of a rotatable member according to FIGURE 5, but with a surrounding cylindrical member;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation view of a support member according to the invention from the inside into which there is laid an emulsion carrier;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the support member shown in FIGURE 8 from the outside;

FIGURE 10 is a side view of a support member according to the invention; and

FIGURE 11 is a support member according to a further embodiment of the invention.

According to FIGURE 1 the apparatus G comprises an upper housing part 1 forming a store chamber 2 which is preferably sealed from light and which contains fresh or rinsing water and a container 3 for bath solution. The container 3 is connected to the semicircular tiltable bowls 7 in the middle part 5, of the apparatus G, forming a working chamber 6 by means of conduits 4 and control valves. Heating and heat circulating means WL are provided for constantly heating the store chamber 2 the conduits 4 and the lower part 12 of the apparatus G. By means of a thermostat Th in the working chamber 6 the temperature can be adjusted or maintained with an accuracy of plus or minus one tenth of one degree centigrade.

Two rotatable members in the form of rotary drums 8 are mounted in the working chamber 6 co-axially on a shaft driven by a motor M and co-axial with the axis about which the bowls 7 are tiltable. The drums may be disconnectable from each other or may be separately driven. In place of two long drums 8 a number of short drums may be arranged coaxially. In the lower part 12 of the apparatus G outlet 13 and conduits 14 are provided for collecting the used bath solution.

FIGURE 2 shows that the drums 8 and bowls 7 are arranged at a convenient working height above the ground adjacent an instrument panel. The apparatus can be operated by hand, semi-automatically or fully automatically.

FIGURE 3 shows projections 7a by means of which the bowls 7 can be tilted in either direction so that, for example, the developer and washing liquid flow off through outlets 13 on one side and the fixing salt solution flows off through outlets 13 on the other side.

Although the bowls 7 normally consist of non-transparent material they can also be made of transparent material so that the light source can be mounted below as well or instead of above the drums 8.

The drums 8 and support members 11 are always made of transparent material, e.g. plastics materials like methacrylate or transparent P.V.C.

The bowls 7 as shown in FIGURE 3 may be provided with partition walls Z sealed to the bowls to prevent the passage of liquid.

As shown in FIGURE 4 a bowl 7 is provided with inlets 7b and 7c, the drum 8a is about half-submerged in the bowl and concave support members 11 for emulsion carriers or film are mounted on the periphery 9 of the drum. For a greater curvature K of the support members 11 less bath solution is required. The outer diameter D of the drum and members 11 is as nearly equal to the diameter D of the bowls as possible.

In FIGURE 5 the support members 11 are mounted in slots extending inwardly from the periphery of the drum 812. FIGURE 6 shows the slots S which taper outwardly towards the periphery of the drum. The curvature of the slots S is different from the curvature K of the members 11 so that a tight fit is produced when the members 11 are inserted into the slots.

In FIGURE 7 a rotary body comprises two discs 8b having an inner drum 8a with a periphery 9 and an outer cylinder, between which drums the support members 11 are fixed by gluing or welding to both drum and cylinder.

FIGURE 8 shows a support member 11 supporting an emulsion carrier F. The lower edge of the member 11 (with respect to the figure) comprises the end remote from the periphery 9 which edge has grippers for the emulsion carrier F. On the upper edge of the member 11 forming the edge fixed to the periphery 9 openings 6 are provided to allow for the passage of liquid.

FIGURE 9 shows the other side of the support member shown in FIGURE 8. The support member is glued or welded to the drum 8a along the seam N and is provided with bearing projections 11a on which the film F rests.

The members 11 may have holes between then ends to create additional turbulence.

In FIGURE 10 the support member 11 supporting an emulsion carrier 10 by means of the projections 11a is connected to the periphery 9 by side supports 11c and the seam N. The member 11 has curved ends 11b.

In place of side supports 11c and seam N the members 11 may be mounted removably on the drum by side supports which snap over the edges of the drum.

As shown in FIGURE 11 the projections 11a can be omitted if the member 11 has parts 11d of different curvature than the curvature K. The emulsion carrier 10 lies on the parts 11d and might also contact the remainer of the member 11 but only in the centre thereof. When liquid flows through the member 11 it will pass below as well as above the emulsion carrier 10.

3 e The members 11 may be hinged on the periphery of the drum, by eg. stainless steel hinges or hinges of plastics material, to facilitate loading of the members 11.

What I claim is:

1. A developing apparatus comprising a light-proof chamber, a bowl within the chamber and tiltably mounted about its longitudinal axis, a rotatable drum within the chamber and mounted co-axially with the axis about which the bowl is tiltable, and a plurality of curved support members for supporting emulsion carriers, said support members being mounted in slots extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum, whereby when said drum is rotated the support members pass around the bowl and liquid contained in the bowl flows across the support members.

2. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edges of the support members adjacent the drum are provided with openings for the passage of liquid.

3. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support members are concave so that the leading edges of the support members when the drum is rotated are formed by the edges of the support members remote from the drum.

4. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the edges of the support members are bent over towards the'drum.

5. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the support members have portions at the edges of diiferent curvature from the remainder of the members so that the ends of the emulsion carriers rest on said portions.

6. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the support members have bearing projections for the emulsion carriers.

7. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the support members are removably mounted on the drum.

8. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein a cylindrical member is connected around the edges of the support members remote from the drum.

9. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the bowl is subdivided by a partition wall sealed to the bowl against the passage of liquid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,403 12/1918 Garland 95--90.5 1,441,163 1/1923 Martin et al. 9593 1,925,154 9/1933 Safiir 95-93 2,614,765 10/1952 Pozo et a1 95-905 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,140,457 11/1962 Germany.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

FRED L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVELOPING APPARATUS COMPRISING A LIGHT-PROOF CHAMBER, A BOWL WITHIN THE CHAMBER AND TILLABLY MOUNTED ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A ROTATABLE DRUM WITHIN THE CHAMBER AND MOUNTED CO-AXIALLY WITH THE AXIS ABOUT WHICH THE BOWL IS TILLABLE, AND A PLURALITY OF CURVED SUPPORT MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING EMULSION CARRIERS, SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS BEING MOUNTED IN SLOTS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERLY OF SAID DRUM, WHEREBY WHEN SAID DRUM IS ROTATED THE SUPPORT MEMBERS PASS AROUND THE BOWL AND LIQUID CONTAINED IN THE BOWL FLOWS ACROSS THE SUPPORT MEMBRS. 